Electrolytic apparatus.



UNITED STATES Yatented November 3, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDOUARD HANNON, OF BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, ASSIGNOR TO THE SOLVAY PROCESSCOMPANY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,863, dated November3, 1903.

Application filed October 4, 1898. Serial No. 692,602. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.- 7

Be it known that I, EDOUARD HANNON, a subject of the King of Belgium,residing at Brussels, Belgium, have invented a new and usefulElectrolytic Apparatus, (for which I have filed applications for foreignLetters Patent as follows: in Belgium, No. 134,177, March 5, 1898; inGreat Britain,No. 7,470, March 28,1898; in Germany,No.S, 11,225/75,March 18, 1898; in Russia, No. 4,602, May 4/16, 1898; in France, No266,676, June 14, 1898; in Switzerland, No. 18,973, July 28, 1898; inAustria, August 12, 1898, and in Hungary, No. 12,054, August 25, 1898,)of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the production of a particularlysimple, practical, and effective apparatus for effecting theelectrolysis of alkaline chlorids and other salts in the presence of afluid electrode, as mercury; and to this end said invention consists inthe combination, construction, and arrangement of the component parts ofan electrolytic apparatus, as hereinafter fully described, and pointedout in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which like lettersindicate corresponding parts in all the Views.

.Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of my electrolyticapparatus. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig.1.

In the present constructions of electrolytic apparatus intended for theelectrolysis of alkaline chlorids and other salts in the presence of afluid electrode, as mercury, it is customary to effect the circulationof the fluid electrode by rocking the apparatus, by causing theelectrode to flow along an inclined bottom or in spiral channels, or bydisplacing the same by pistons, plungers, and pumps. These apparatus aremore or less objectionable, since if the movement of the fluid electrodeis arrested the apparatus are deprived of said fluid electrode, althoughthe current continues to pass.

My invention is radically diflerent from the prior types of electrolyticapparatus, for the reason that it is so constructed that the surface ofthe fluid electrode adjacent to the electrolyte is continually removedfrom the remaining portion of the electrode, so as to constantly presenta fresh surface to the metal beingliberated on said electrode. The alkaline amalgam forms in greatest quantity at the surface of the fluidelectrode adjacent to the electrolyte and tends to remain on said (lousesurface by reason of its lightness. quently my invention is particularlypractical and efiective, since the surface of the fluid electrode, whichis richest in. alkaline metal, is positively and readily withdrawnwithout displacement of the remaining portion of the fluid electrode oragitation of said surface during its removal from said remaining portionof the .electrode.

My electrolytic apparatus comprises a receptacle A for receiving theelectrolyte and a fluid electrode, as mercury, and suitable means forremoving the surface of the electrode adjacent to the electrolyte fromthe remaining portion of said electrode. In the preferable constructionof my invention the surface of the fluid electrode adjacent to theelectrolyte overflows without agitation in a substantially horizontalplane from a chamber (1 within the receptacle A to a second chamber a,also within the receptacle A. Said chambers are generallyprovided in thebase of the receptacle A, and the fluid electrode therein rests upon thebottom wall a of said receptacle. The wall a over which the fluidelectrode overflows from the chamber a, is preferably of suitable heightto maintain the level of the fluid electrode in the recep tacle A abovethe level of said electrode in the outlet-conduit, presently described,and may be fixed in position, although it is usu ally provided withsuitable adjusting means, as screws a, for varying the level of thefluid electrode within the chamber a.

The fluid electrode, as mercury, is preferably admitted to the chamber aby a supplyreservoir a and is withdrawn from the chamber a by anoutlet-conduit a The reservoir of is generally provided Within thereceptacle A and communicates with the side of the chamber a opposite tothe wall a and with an inlet-conduit a which discharges into thereservoir below the level of the fluid electrode therein. The fluidelectrode is supplied to the inlet-conduit a from any suitable source,as a fluid-elevator ad, which may be of any desirable form, size, andconstruction. The illustrated fluid-elevator consists of a closed shellpartly filled, as indicated by the dotted line therein in Fig. 1, withthe material, as mercury, forming the fluid electrode, an inlet-conduitfor said material, an outlet-conduit leading from a point below thelevel of the material to the inlet-conduit a and a third conduit fordischarging a suit-able fluid under pressure above said material andforcing the same through said outlet-conduit. The outlet-conduit or,usually opens from the chamber ct below the level of the fluid electrodewithin said chamber and is so arranged and connected that the level ofthe fluid electrode within said chamber and conduit is below the levelof the fluid electrode in the chamber a. The described means foradmitting the fluid electrode to the chamber a and for removing the samefrom the chamber a is particularly simple in construction and effectivein operation; but-it is obvious that any other suitable means may beused for said purpose, if desired.

The outlet-conduit a withdraws from the receptacle A only the overflowfrom the chamber a, and therefore a body of the fluid electrode remainscontinually within the receptacle A even though the flow of saidelectrode to the chamber a is arrested. As the withdrawal of all of thefluid electrode from the receptacle A is sometimes necessary, saidreceptacle may be inclined by any suitable means, as a screw a and maybe provided with an outletconduit (not illustrated) having means forcontrolling the passage therethrough. The described means for removingall of the fluid electrode from the receptacle A forms no part of mypresent invention, and consequently it is unnecessary to furtherillustrate and describe the same.

' The electrolyte Within the receptacle A contains the alkaline chloridsor other salts to be electrolyzed, is generally supported upon the fluidelectrode in the chambers a a, and receives a suitable electrode, as aplurality of conductors a, which are usually connected to one of thebranches or conductors b of an electric circuit having its other branchor conductor 1) connected to the wall a of the receptacle A. Theelectrolyte is preferably withdrawn from the receptacle in the samedirection as that of the movement of the upper surface of the electrodefrom the chamber a into the chamber a. The means for conducting theelectrolyte to and from the receptacle A is here illustrated as inletand outlet conduits a a, which are arranged so as to communicate withthe receptacle A at points directly above the conduits a a It isobvious, however, that the electrolyte may be conducted to and from there ceptacle A by any other suitable means in stead of the conduits a aThe fluid electrode combined in my electrolytic apparatus may berecovered by any suitable means, unnecessary to herein illustrate anddescribe.

In the operation of my electrolytic apparatus there is no limitation toa predetermined discharge, as in other types of electrolytic apparatus,since any discharge may be employed which is found to be mostadvantageous without affecting the proper utilization of the electriccurrent. Indeed, solid amalgam floating on the surface of the fluidelectrode might be produced, as its discharge presents no difficulty.

The construction and operation of my electrolytic apparatus will now bereadily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawings, and it will be noted that considerable change maybe made in the construction and arrangement of the component parts ofsaid apparatus Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte, a fluid electrode and a second electrode, and means forcausing the surface of the fluid electrode adjacent to the electrolyteto flow without agitation in a substantially horizontal plane from thecontiguous portion of the fluid electrode, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

2. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte, a fluid electrode and a second electrode, means for addingto the fluid electrode a fresh supply of the material forming saidelectrode, and means for causing the surface of the fluid electrodeadjacent to the electrolyte to flow without agitation in a substantiallyhorizontal plane from the contiguous portion of the fluid electrode,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte, a fluid electrode and a second electrode, means for addingto the lower portion of the fluid electrode a fresh supply of thematerial forming said electrode, and means for removing the uppersurface of the fluid electrode by gravity without agitation of saidsurface, the underlying bed of the electrode or the contiguous surfaceof the electrolyte, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte, a fluid electrode and a second electrode, means for addingto the lower portion of one end of the fluid electrode a fresh supply ofthe material forming said electrode, and means for removing the uppersurface of the fluid electrode Without agitation of said surface and forcausing the same to overflow at the upper portion of the opposite end ofthe fluid electrode, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte, said receptacle being provided with a chamber for receivinga fluid electrode, and a second chamber for receiving an overflow of thefluid electrode from the first chamber, means for causing the surface ofthe fluid electrode in the first chamber adjacent to the electrolyte toflow without agitation in a substantially horizontal plane from thecontiguous portion of the electrode and to overflow into the secondchamber and a second electrode in said receptacle, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

6. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte, said receptacle being provided with a chamber for receivinga fluid electrode, a second chamber arranged at one side of the firstchamber for receiving an overflow of the fluid electrode therefrom, anda supply-reservoir communicating with the opposite side of the firstchamber for adding to the lower portion of the fluid electrode a freshsupply of the material forming said electrode and causing the uppersurface of the fluid electrode to flow by gravity without agitation in asubstantially horizontal plane and to overflow into the second chamber,an outlet-conduit connected to the second chamber and a second electrodein the receptacle, substantially as and for the-purpose specified.

7. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and a fluid electrode, means for removing the upper surfaceof the electrode from above the underlying body thereof, and means forwithdrawing the electrolyte from the receptacle in the same direction asthat of the movement of the upper surface of the fluid electrode,substantially as and for the purpose'specified.

8. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte, said receptacle being provided with a chamber for receivinga fluid electrode, a second chamber for receiving an overflow of thefluid electrode from the former chamber, and means for withdrawing theelectrolyte from the receptacle in the same direction as that of themovement of the overflow of the fluid electrode, substantially as setforth.

9. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte, said receptacle being provided with a plurality of chamberscontaining a fluid electrode and arranged beneath the level of theelectrolyte, one chamber having the upper surface of the fluid electrodetherein arranged above the level of the fluid electrode in a secondchamber and movable into said second chamber from above the underlyingbody of said electrode, and means for withdrawing the electrolyte fromthe receptacle in the same direction as that of the movement of theupper surface of the fluid electrode from the first chamber into thesecond chamber, substantially as described.

10. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte, said receptacle being provided with a plurality of chamberscontaining a fluid electrode and arranged beneath the level of theelectrolyte, one chamber having the upper surface of the fluid electrodetherein arranged above the level of the fluid electrode in a secondchamher and movable into said second chamber from above the underlyingbody of said electrode, conduits communicating with said two chambersbeneath the level of the fluid electrode therein, and additionalconduits communicating with the receptacle above the former'conduits,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence oftwo attesting witnesses, at Brussels, Belgium, this 1st day ofSeptember, 1898.

EDOUARD HANNON.

Witnesses:

J. O. FURSTENKOFF, GREGORY PHELAN.

